“Amnesty International condemns the Australian Government’s silence around the whereabouts of two asylum seeker boats intercepted separately in Australian waters over the past few days, and said to have been handed over to the Sri Lankan navy.

“Secrecy around border security just won’t cut it,” said Amnesty International Australia’s Refugee Spokesperson Graeme McGregor. “The Australian public have a right to know what has happened to these people, despite the Immigration Minister’s question dodging and denials.””

Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s comments this morning which associate asylum seekers to Australians participating in conflicts abroad are a disturbing example of scaremongering tactics aimed at those fleeing from conflict.

“The Prime Minister’s statements are designed to stir up fears and resentment about asylum seekers that have no foundation, and only serve to prop up the Government’s own cruel, inefficient and unlawful asylum seeker policies,” says Graeme McGregor of Amnesty International. Read more …